The 4th Bomb

Ever the man about town I attended the screening of a BBC documentary ‘Iran and the West’ held at The Frontline Club in Paddington. It featured interviews with some of the major players in the diplomatic brinkman ship that has ensued since Iran’s Islamic revolution.

During the question and answer session that followed, Jack Straw stood up and recounted his diplomatic to-ing and fro-ing between Europe and Washington during that time. I thought his title,  Minister of Justice made him sound like some kind of comic book super hero and was at odds with the man in our midst, especially when a hilarious peice of footage showed Condelezza Rice walking down steps from a  helicopter in Bosnia in a business suit while Straw peered cautiously out of the cab behind her in a flak jacket and helmet, a moment of true comedy!

I also noted his ministerial protection man standing at the rear looking slightly misplaced if overly casual in a Val Doonican style jumper and thought this too good an opportunity to pass up. Once the evening had drawn to a close everyone shuffled towards the exit. I saw the Minister of Justice holding court with a few freindly looking Iranians in western attire. As I passed him the inclination to shake him warmly by the hand and introduce myself as the nephew of Robert Mugabe nearly proved too irrestible. Imagine… it would’ve been another decidely British farce, a bit like his title.